VAIO SZ Weird screen issue

Hi!

First a thanks to the site and its users, been using it for some time now for decision making and fault finding!

I hope someone can help cos im baffled on this. I have a Sony SZ4XWN (Premium) and have been experiencing some weird screen issues. Heres the story so far:

1) Bought laptop on ebay with 2 months warrenty remaining for £400 (bargain me thinks). Its in A1 condition, box accessories etc
2) When I get it, its fine to start with. Then I notice on high brightness brownish murky lines going up from the bottom of the screen. Apparently a common issue. In addition, a month later on the train watching a movie the screen turned off and only a reboot got it back. Did it 7 times before I gave up.
3) As it was a good price and I wanted to keep i, I sent it off to sony for repair. It cam back with a brand new LCD, brown lines gone. But the same night the screen turned off again. Also got it back with a scratch on the lid!
4) Sent it back to sony again. They sent it back 3 weeks later unable to recreate the screen fault. I got it back, turned it on and it did it within 10 minutes!

So at the moment I am in the position of having to film it happening and sending it back again. Ive got it on film but not got round to sending it back yet wanted to find out opinions from others first.

Heres a list of things I can comment on the fault:

1) Fresh OS install
2) Only happens on battery power
3) Also experience screen flickers, like the image shifts or the backlight level changes
4) Any reboot fixes it (full, hibernate or sleep)
5) Backlight stays on, image dissappears leaving a black lit screen
6) Power setting not the issue - not set to sleep, hibernte etc Screen set to turn off after x minutes but it doesnt happen when left, could be half way through internet browsing
7) Laptop contiues to run. i.e. movies sound contuines, music continues, and shortcut button actions have launched after sleep and power on.
8) Seems to happen more the lower the battery gets, but im not talking 1% remaining or anything.
9) Always run in integrated graphics mode. Havent tried discreet graphics yet, which would determine if the issue is on the motherboard graphics?
10) Quite intermittent. Will ALWAYS flicker on battery but not always turn off - maybe once every other charge. Worst was 7 times on one charge on the train (vibration related?)
11) Usually used resting on the arm of a leather sofa, at about 45 degrees angle towards seating position (lol)

I cant see how sony cant reproduce it. They said it completed all their diagnostic tests OK. I know they had it apart again the second time as the screen came back slightly out of line. They also claimed the scratch was received like it - dont think so I have photos! But want to get the issue sortd before I complain about that. The warrenty is extended by 6months for this fault as I reported it before the laptops warrenty expired.

Any help appreciated!

 

72 views and no ideas? Anyone?

cheers!

 

Well, sleep mode for once does not reboot the laptop, neither does hibernation.

From what I'm reading it seems the screen turn itself off - power supply - and doesn't automatically turn on again.

Excluding hardware and software...

Have you tried Vaio Update for a BIOS update?
Have you tried to recreate the problem with an external monitor.

 

It could be a hardware issue although you would hope that Sony support would pick up on that.

In the case it's software.. what OS are you running? You've confirmed that it happens under the integrated Intel graphics. Which driver versions are you using for the 1. main chipset and 2. the integrated graphics? (you can get the latest drivers from the official Intel site - the drivers that Sony has available are sadly outdated.)

 

Hi, im experiencing the same issues with an SZ4.

In bold, what i can confirm.

1) Fresh OS install
2) Only happens on battery power
3) Also experience screen flickers, like the image shifts or the backlight level changes
4) Any reboot fixes it (full, hibernate or sleep)
5) Backlight stays on, image dissappears leaving a black lit screen
6) Power setting not the issue - not set to sleep, hibernte etc Screen set to turn off after x minutes but it doesnt happen when left, could be half way through internet browsing
7) Laptop contiues to run. i.e. movies sound contuines, music continues, and shortcut button actions have launched after sleep and power on.
8) Seems to happen more the lower the battery gets, but im not talking 1% remaining or anything.
9) Always run in integrated graphics mode. Havent tried discreet graphics yet, which would determine if the issue is on the motherboard graphics?
10) Quite intermittent. Will ALWAYS flicker on battery but not always turn off - maybe once every other charge. Worst was 7 times on one charge on the train (vibration related?)
11) Usually used resting on the arm of a leather sofa, at about 45 degrees angle towards seating position (lol)

Additionally:

12) Seems to occur more often on WLAN.
13) Occurs more often during watching videos.

Im not sure, but i tried it with the nvidia card once, however i can remember it did the same things also....

Then i did the following things:
a) Disabled SSDP Discovery Service (just search the forums)
b) Installed original sony drivers that were out of the box, because i cant remember it happening with the original sony install.
c) turned of hybrid standby mode

since this i noticed aditionally:

13) Occurs less often.
14) Screen not always turns black but grey or green

 

Well - one old Medion hada flickering screen due to a faulty electrical connection. (got fixed under warranty) It didn't turn off though.

Now about the reboot - hybernating or sleep do not reboot the computer.

In fact the sleep part is odd as all devices are still turned on - just on standby. (Or off if they are connected via USB)